LONDON: Authorities in Iran are removing visa requirements for passport holders from 33 countries, including Saudi Arabia and Japan.

The move was confirmed on Thursday following comments after a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday by Minister of Tourism Ezzatollah Zarghami, who said: “The government intends to open the country’s doors to the world.

“The Islamic Republic has shown its readiness to open doors to people worldwide and provide more facilities for them so that they can easily visit our country and benefit from its advantages.”

The decision means that citizens of 45 countries will now be able to visit Iran without needing to obtain a visa.

The Ministry of Tourism said it “believes that an open-door policy will showcase Iran’s determination to engage with different countries of the world.”

Other countries included in the decision include the UAE and Qatar, as well as Bahrain, with whom Tehran has yet to reestablish full relations. Citizens of Oman were already able to travel to Iran without applying for a visa. The ISNA news agency published a full list of the countries, which also includes Lebanon, Tunisia and India. Western-allied Croatia is the only European country on the list.